Chapter 528: Snow Dragon

With them being on the last stretch of the mountain road, you would think the group would be excited, but when you take into consideration just how low their resources had gotten, you would understand the current mood.

It was evident it had affected them; the thought of running out of food and water, they knew they weren’t far away, and they were afraid of it. Even if no one said it out loud, the way they spoke and moved told a different story. ℯ

Keres had tried multiple times to get them back to their feet, and he wasn’t going to say that he had no effect on them, since he did believe that his words were the reason no one had done anything reckless yet, that and his presence.

As hard as it got, Keres’s existence assured them that they were safe. If he was there, then it at least meant they had a chance.

Aether massaged his stomach, feeling the hunger catch up to him. He mumbled something under his breath as he walked; last time they got fed, they barely got anything, definitely not even close to the amount he needed to survive.

’It’s good that the path is almost done, since I’m not sure for how long we could have kept going. Sure, technically we could have gone for a lot longer if we starved ourselves, but I’m not sure just how many of us here have done anything close to that; after all, most are people from the Blue Rose.

People who normally didn’t have any problem with hunger.’

There was a town, just after the mountains and before the forest. Keres most definitely knew about it, and he knew just how important it was; it might have been the only reason he decided to take this road, since it was the only thing that made it possible.

They were going to have to raid the town and get all the food they had.

Did he feel bad? Not even slightly. ’My opinion of the people of the Wonderland won’t change; I will kill them, just like they kill our people.’

He did wonder, after the forest, where Keres intended to go, what path? He hoped he didn’t want them to go back through the same road. Since as good a leader he was, and as strong as the others were, he didn’t think they would survive the way back.

’One time is more than enough on this road.’

Aether walked close to Keres, trying to ask him a question... yet, he suddenly felt something. The same feeling he had felt at the beginning, that they were being watched, it made him stop in his place, almost freezing, as the others around him continued walking.

He looked around, trying to find anything with Eden, but he couldn’t. He bit his finger, trying to concentrate; there must have been something wrong with his perception... since he was sure something was here, watching them.

It couldn’t be his imagination.

He closed his eyes as more people passed him, taking glances at him. He tried looking around again with Eden... and this time he had found something. On the top of the mountain, a giant creature rested, watching them... its outline, it seemed familiar; well, rather, it something he had seen before.

’Don’t tell me...’ Aether opened his eyes to see a white dragon. He could barely make it out, since it blended in with the mountains so much, but he could see it... and it was gigantic, with spikes running all over its face and back.

Seeing him stare at it, it seemed to tilt its head before making an angry expression, if he had to guess, since he wasn’t an expert on dragons...

It wasn’t happy.

It flapped its wings as it started flying... and towards them.

’Shit.’ He turned towards the others, who had already made a small gap between them and him. "A dragon, a dragon is coming for us!" He screamed, trying his best to make the others aware of the giant dragon coming.

He could feel many stop in their place, turning to him in terror. Aether pointed towards the beast, but as the others turned their heads towards it, it had already arrived, shooting a ray of ice towards them that luckily didn’t hit anybody.

But it was never going to stop at just that. It turned towards Keres, who seemed to have a bright smile on his face, seeing as the dragon headed towards him.

"You know I’ve never fought a dragon before; you will be my-" As he was about to finish, the dragon froze him with its breath.

As his body stood frozen in place, the others paused for a good second before chaos broke out. Aether frowned. ’Damn it, I know their whole composure is linked to Keres, but still, think for a second!’

The dragon raised its head, ready to shoot out its ice once more, but as it was about to, Sofia dashed forward, hitting it in the jaw, before dashing back once more and hitting it again, her affinity making the second much stronger.

The monster screamed as it turned towards her, hitting her with its tail. He barely saw it happen; even with how big its body was, the damn beast was insanely fast, fast enough to outdo even Sofia’s reflexes.

The girl flew into the wall, blood flowing from her head, as the monster opened its mouth, preparing to freeze her just like it had done to Keres.

Aether watched in terror... his body stopping for a second, as his sister’s life was in danger...

But then something started burning inside him, as he reacted, using almost all his essence to create some chains that he latched around the dragon’s neck, pulling it back, just slightly changing the path of its attack, so that it would miss Sofia. He had needed the essence to make the chains strong enough to hold that beast, and they only just barely were able to do so.

...

But by doing this, he captured its attention. He watched as it slowly turned its head towards him, before its tail moved to him, gripping him by the waist, as it started to clench down onto him.

His eyes widened in pain, trying his best to get out, but the grip was way too much for him; it felt as if he was getting crushed, and so easily. Blood flowed from his mouth and onto his lip as he tried his best to escape, but with no progress... He couldn’t even think right; the pain was blinding his mind. He was, after all... getting crushed to death.

...

...

"You know, It’s not nice to interrupt someone while they’re talking. Right?" The dragon turned its head in the direction the voice was coming from, surprised to see that the first person it had frozen... had somehow gotten out.

It loosened its grip on Aether; being able to think for a second, he quickly activated Erosion, falling to the ground.

The dragon opened its mouth, using its powers once more to try and freeze Keres again... yet this time, nothing happened. The Harbinger laughed. "This power of yours is pretty messed up, you know? It doesn’t kill you, but freezes you alive for eternity, while you can see and feel everything around you."

...

"What a wicked being you are." He said, as he started walking towards it, making the beast start to desperately launch its attacks over and over again, but each time it did, it had no effect on Keres...

Keres continued to walk, lifting his head up at the beast as another one of its attacks hit him... yet this time, someone did get hurt... but not him, the dragon. Aether gaped, confused; there was nothing that attacked the dragon, and yet it had gotten hurt.

... ’Did its own attack hurt it?’ Screaming through the pain, the monster tried once more, only for the same thing to happen.

Keres chuckled. "It hurts, doesn’t it? That happens when you use your ability too much; others adapt to it."

The Harbinger summoned a blade, one that seemed to radiate with energy, before dashing forward and stabbing the dragon in the stomach; the blade exploded inside it, destroying its organs and killing it.

Blood shot out, staining Keres as he took the blade out of its body, wiping off any remains that had gotten stuck to it.

Looking around, he noticed that a lot had run away, not far, and were coming back, but had run... he frowned slightly before climbing on top of the dragon’s body, as more and more people started getting closer.

He raised his blade in the air as he smirked. "Is this enough proof for you all? Is this what you wanted to see to fully understand?"

"There’s no such thing as death, at least while I am around. No matter what comes at me, if it isn’t a god, I will not die, no matter what happens to me.

And while I’m still alive, I won’t let anyone else die either."

"Death is futile in our presence."